


Catching A Dance!

by skytroops



Series: Excessively Worryin' [ The Misadventures of an Agoraphobic Boyfriend ] [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: M/M, Pokéani Spoilers, Romantic Fluff, Slow Dancing, Social Anxiety, Trans Male Character, Trans Male Character In Gay Romantic Relationship, dis is why communication hasn't been updated, i consider them spoilers because the episode hasn't been dubbed yet, stand tall! ( XYZ arc )
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-22 13:07:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6080520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skytroops/pseuds/skytroops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy late 20th Anniversary, Pokémon! and also late happy b-day to meself.</p><p>This episode caused such a stir with Ash not dancing with Serena, holy shit. I was too busy fawning over Ash in that suit to give a shit ( and im not an amourshipper ), but I had to give Serena a break, she needs one.</p><p>If ya'll are wondering how Jessie and James managed to get into a 18 and under party despite being adults, they lied about their age with fake trainer cards. Pretty typical stuff for them. and Jessie would've forced her way into that party if that didn't work, let's be real.</p><p>Please pay in mind that this was written months prior to Party Dancecapades / XY104's dub airing, so some details might be different.</p>
        </blockquote>





	1. one step

Skye slinked his way to the open balcony to get some time to himself for about the 10th time that night. The air was cool and calming, helping him sooth his frayed nerves. He took slow, deep breaths.

Parties were not his thing, they never were. They always set him on edge. He never understood why people even liked parties. They were loud and crowded. A complete nightmare in his eyes. What do you even do at parties anyway? Meet people you've never seen before in your whole life and socialize with them?

Like he could do that.

Skye was going to be a social anxiety-ridden introvert to the end of his days, he was sure about that.

He stepped up to the railing to lean on it. He could hear soft classical music and the other party goers behind him, enjoying themselves. Skye grumbled to himself, recalling that he was most likely the oldest attendee. He was lucky that he even got in, as the party was an event for performers who were 18 and younger. He was a month shy from turning 20.

He was only allowed to attend if he didn't join in on the events within the party, which happened to be the dancing and later on, the battling. Same had gone to Bonnie, as she was too young.

He threw his mind back to earlier on in the day, in hopes of distracting himself from the anxiety buzzing in his chest.

Serena finding out she got a message, being invited to the party alongside her and everyone else, freaking out about the party, the dumb rule of boy / girl pairs only, that Miette girl appearing out of nowhere and dragging Ash away. . .

A small growl rumbled in Skye's tightening throat. He didn't know that much about Miette, except that she was one of Serena's rivals for the title of Kalos Queen and that she loved to tease Serena over her feelings for Ash.

 _She only asked Ash tae be 'er partner becuz Serena wiz watchin',_ he drummed his fingers on the railing in irritation. _ah daw dat bloody wink she gave is._

Didn't she know not to grab and drag people around like that? Ash wasn't a toy! He was a person!

_She must eh been so caught up in teasin' Serena, she probably didnae 'hink aboot how Ash felt. Ah saw his face when she wiz makin' 'm carry aw dhoes dresses. He wiznae happy 'n she didnae even care!_

"Ugh!" The breeder ran his fingers through his short brown hair, letting out a frustrated groan. He didn't expect that he would be leaving this party fuming over another blue-haired girl in his life, but here he was.

"If dat stupit rule wiznae der, ah wid've been Ash's partner insteed. . ."

There was the sound of a familiar chuckle from behind Skye. "You thinking about me?"

Skye slumped against the railing, turning his head to see Ash standing in the doorway, Pikachu on his shoulder, and Pika at his heels. He stiffened, doing his best not to ogle his dressed up boyfriend.

"Don't," he grunted as the three approached him. "ah'm no in da mood, Ash."

"Not in the mood? For playing around?" Ash gasped, joining Skye in leaning against the railing. "Boy, parties really do bring the worst out in ya."

"Oi, you." Skye's nose scrunched up. Ash laughed again. Pika climbed up onto her trainer's shoulder to give him one of her signature comforting nuzzles.

"Chuu. . ."

"How are you feeling?" the trainer asked, his playful expression hardening with concern.

Skye stared out towards the landscape in front of them, despite how useless it was to see said landscape. "Ah dunno, better, ah guess."

"You guess?" Ash inched himself closer, nearly bumping into his elbow into Skye's.

"Aye. Ah guess."

"Come on, Skye." Ash coaxed. "You gotta have a better answer for me than that."

"Well, ah don't."

The air between the two young adults quickly turned tense. Both of their Pikachu shared worried glances from their perches as their trainers awkwardly stood side-by-side.

"I. . .haven't really gotten to see you all night," Ash said softly. ". . .I missed you."

Heat instantly spread across Skye's face, feeling guilt weight down on him all of a sudden. He shouldn't be getting angry at Ash.

"Sorry," Skye slowly faced his boyfriend, his head lowering like a chided Growlithe. "a-ah'm daein' awright. Bit, ah 'hink ah'll probably feel better when we cin leave 'n git some sleep. Ah'm knackered."

Ash brightening up, smiling at Skye, then at Pikachu. "That's good to hear! Isn't it, buddy?"

"Pi-pikachu!" the mouse Pokémon nodded and Pika chirped.

"And it's okay," Ash reached out to carefully place his hand over Skye's. "I don't blame ya for being so off. This kind of stuff isn't for you, I get it."

Skye automatically spread his fingers, allowing the other to intertwine their fingers together. _Ya wee softie,_ he thought warmly, breathing out a happy sigh and smiling all the while.

The breeder almost wanted to bring Ash into a hug, but he felt like it would be inappropriate, considering **that** rule. If that was the requirement into entering the party, how would they react to seeing two boys being affectionate towards one another?

He didn't want to cause a stir, even if it was just for showing his boyfriend love. Best to not do it and keep the lighter mood going.

"Ah saw yae heedbutt dat Miette lassie when yaw wir dancin' wae 'er," he smirked. "good joeb."

"Hey, I didn't mean to do it-!" Ash exclaimed. On his shoulder, Pikachu made an exasperated face.

The brunet nudged him in the side with his elbow. "Och, yae know ah widnae dae any better. Ah 'hink it's safe tae say da baeth eh is 'r clumsy as each uhda."

"True. . ." the youngest of the two closed the small gap between them to shamelessly press himself against Skye. "I'm sorry I didn't check up on you sooner."

Tense and feeling as if they were being watched by many judgemental eyes, Skye stuttered. "Yae wir too p-preoccupied wae dancin' 'n dat whole sudden battle 'hing. 'N stoap sayin' yir sorry. Yir startin' tae sound like me." He gently booped Ash on the nose with his free hand. "Besides, ah'm a big boy, Ash. Ah'm nearly 20, remembur."

"Yeah, but you didn't get to dance at all tonight while everyone else gotta. You must've felt real left out."

"Naw, no really. Ah'm used tae bein' left oot 'n it's no like ah could eh danced in da first place, so-" he made a small 'eh' sound. He could see Ash and Pikachu giving him sympathetic looks. He ignored them, turning his attention to Pika in her little pretty white shawl.

He heard Ash let out a short huff beside him.

". . .you wanna dance with me?"

Skye's head snapped around to gawk at the trainer and pocket monster duo. "W-wit?"

Ash pushed himself away from the railing, pulling Skye by the hand to do the same. "Do you want to dance with me? I think I got it down and I want to show my boyfriend a good time-!" He patted himself on the chest with a reddening face. "Please, dance with me!" He bowed forward with a reddening face, Pikachu nearly falling off his perch. Pika put a paw to her muzzle, pleasantly surprised.

Skye wasn't sure how to answer him. He glanced down at their hands, beginning to feel a little light-headed. That was the moment when he realized that he had no idea how to dance like a gentleman, if at all. He hadn't even managed to retain any of the dance moves he had seen throughout the whole night.

He could dance to some pop songs from about a decade ago, but that was about it. This wasn't the kind of party for the Cha Cha Slide, darn it!

"A-ah dunno how tae dance-!" Skye squeaked out. "'N w-wit aboot dat rule?"

Ash peered up at him, confused. "Huh?"

"Dey sayd dat d-dance partners could only be in boy, girl pairs, remembur?" He tried to explain, glancing towards the doorway. "We'd be breakin' da rules."

"Nobody said you couldn't dance after the real party was over," Ash's smirk grew. "and well, I think some rules were made to be broken."

His tone of voice and boyish grin made Skye's face flush. "Y-yir a troublemaker," he mumbled. "ya know dat, r-right?"

"Heh, like you think that rule is far in the first place!"

The breeder bristled. He had told Ash his opinion of the rule on their way to the castle, in amongst his frantic mumbling and panicking about the upcoming party.

"And I totally heard you say you wanted to be my partner when I came out here~!"

Skye tried to say something in his defence, but all that came tumbling out was a flustered, garbled mess. "Ngh. . ."

"Oh, so now you don't wanna dance with lil' ol' me?" Ash asked, fluttering his eyelids as if he were a southern belle. Pikachu copied him with a wag of his tail.

"A-ah didnae say dat-!" Skye stammered loudly, his face burning. ". . .a-ah've neva danced wae anybody in dis sort eh way befur."

“As long as you don’t throw me around like that one perfomer, I think you’ll do just fine." Ash said light-heartedly. “It’s just us out here! And hey, least you don’t have any dresses to step on.”

That managed to get a small laugh from Skye. He did have that going with him.

“So, what do you say?” Ash tilted his head, giving Skye’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “You want to dance?”

The brunet weakly smiled. “A-awright.”

Ash beamed, his brown eyes gleaming with uncontained excitement. Pikachu jumped off Ash’s shoulder to stand beside his mother.

Ash made a show of clearing his throat, standing up straight with his feet together, doing his best to look proper. He looked silly, but handsome.

Skye tried to remember what the perfomer girls had done when they engaged in dancing.

The two raised their hands up together, politely bowing before Ash placed his other hand on Skye's hip while Skye held onto his upper arm to start. Ash took a step. Skye took a step. He took another step, trying to listen to the music coming from inside the hall and follow Ash's lead as best he could.

The breeder nervously smiled, green eyes darting from meeting Ash's glowing gaze to basically anywhere else that wasn't Ash's pink face.

Beside them, Pikachu and Pika outstretched their tails to interlock them and shake them, then turn to hold paws to copy their trainers.

Ash was first to notice them. "You two are dancing too?"

"Pika!" The two Electric types replied.

Skye felt touched seeing the mother and son happily dancing with one another beside them. It was so nice to see them on good terms after so long.

He and Ash watched their Pikachu fondly before returning to their own dance. Skye felt better. He was. . .dancing. He was really dancing! Ballroom dancing, even! Ballroom dancing with the boy he loved in an old Kalosian castle, dressed up in old-fashioned suits.

This was. . .romantic. Oh wow, now he was burning up.

As they slowly stepped together, Ash slid his arm around Skye so that his arm was wrapped around his waist to bring him closer.

Skye bit back a gasp of surprise as his boyfriend's grip tightened around him. His stride was shot. He ended up stepping on Ash's toes as he tried to fall back into a rhythm.

“Ow!”

“S-sorry-!”

Skye worried that he had suddenly ruined their moment, being as clumsy as he was, but he did his best to push down the anxiety that threatened to overtake him. He attempted to puff up his chest and be confident, but as soon as he looked into those dark eyes, he hurriedly leaned into Ash to hide his bright red face in his shoulder. He felt Ash chuckle.

“Don't laugh,” Skye whined, his voice muffled.

“Sorry, can't help it. You're being funny.”

“It's yir fault. Yir da wan dat put 'is aerm aroon' ma waist.”

Ash laughed again, resting his temple against the breeder's own. “I suppose it is.”

 _Yir a bugger,_ Skye wanted to say, but he lifted his nose to lay his chin on Ash's shoulder instead. _such a bugger._ He felt himself relax in the other's embrace, his muscular arm curling around Ash's back to secure himself to the trainer. He smiled as they continued to follow each other's steps, progressively getting used to each other's odd rhythm.

 _Yir wahrum,_ he contently mused.

The night was cold and having a loving warm body being more than willing to share their warmth was very welcoming indeed. The classic music from the hall flowed out to the balcony, lulling them into a slow, swaying dance.

The reality of it all returned to Skye in full. He felt like his knees were too weak to keep him stable. He was relieved that he was holding onto something to keep himself steady.

It was almost like they were the only people in the world in that moment. It was just him, Ash, and their Pikachu right now. He knew somewhere, in the back of his fogging mind, there were plenty of people just several feet away, but he didn't care.

For once, Skye was worry free, with not a single care in the world. It felt. . .nice.

 _Dat stupit rule cin git it up itsel',_ he told himself, his eyes half-lidded. _ah love you._ He swiftly pressed a small peck on Ash's somewhat defined jawline.

He staggered.

Skye laughed.


	2. two steps

The music had changed from a slow violin solo to a gentle piano piece. Skye glanced at the open doorway, still swaying along with Ash to the changing music.

He took notice of a pretty blonde inside, a newly-evolved Sylveon gracefully tailing her, a ribbon still wrapped around her wrist.

Serena.

His thin brows knitted together. Serena. . .didn't get to dance with Ash, did she?

Was that a good thing? Or was that a bad thing? Would she have wanted to dance with him in the first place? Of course she would have. Getting to dance in a pretty dress with a handsome boy in a castle was a straight girl's dream! He's seen enough romantic movies to know that!

He knew that the blonde had feelings for his boyfriend; it was more than just a little obvious. He didn't know how deep those feelings were, but he suspected that she had it bad. Just like him.

However, it wasn't like he couldn't trust her around Ash, and he definitely trusted Ash with her. What was the worst she could do? Confess her feelings? Attempt to kiss him? Enjoy herself?

Skye knew that Ash wouldn't just decide to break up with him to be with Serena because she told him she liked him. He knew for a fact that Ash only had romantic feelings for him, so would a dance do anything?

No, it wouldn't. This was a party for Pokémon Performers after all.

He should give her a break.

The piano music faded, prompting Skye to lazily lift his chin away from Ash's shoulder to look at his partner. Ash was smiling dreamily, cheeks dusted pink. It looked like he had been off in his own little world too.

He blinked, his brown eyes focusing on Skye's face as if he had broken out of a deep trance. “Uhh, eh heh, you wanna stop? Did you have fun?”

Skye nearly fell back into that spell they had been under when they locked eyes, “Mm hmm.”

Ash didn't loosen his grip around the brunet's waist. “I wonder how long we were dancing for. . .” he questioned himself.

Skye didn't know, but if they parted now, he hoped that there was still enough time for his idea to not fall through.

He gave his spiky-haired partner a squeeze before gently pushing himself against Ash's hold to remind him that he still hadn't let go.

Ash awkwardly laughed, finally, but hesitantly released Skye's waist and hand to take a step back.

Beside them, Pikachu and Pika finished off their own dance with a slow pirouette and a polite curtsy.

Skye took a moment to straighten out the front of his white suit. _Awright, here goes._

“Y-yae goat tae dance wae aw dhoes lassies, right?”

“I think so,” Ash said, fixing one of his gloves. “I really messed up with Miette. . .and about 10 others. . .” he gingerly smiled.

Skye knelt down to pick Pika up to cradle the mouse in his arms. “Yae danced wae Serena, didn't yae?”

Ash blanked. “Uhh, no? I was going to, but the music stopped and then there was the tag battles-”

The breeder dramatically put a hand on his hip with a disapproving snort. “Well, yae cannae jist dance wae every uhdah girl at da party 'n no dance wae 'er.” He tutted. “'N she's yir pal tae. Dat's pretty rude, dude, if ah'm gonnae be honest.”

Ash reached behind his head to rub at the back of his neck. “Really? I guess you're right about that, but I don't think there's any time left.”

Skye's face slackened. “So? Yae jist danced wae me, didn't yae? Ah 'hink yae cin git in uhnuhda fur 'er. Dis whole party is fur performers 'n she's a performer, so ah 'hink she deserves an extra dance.”

The formally dressed trainer in front of him considered his suggestion with a hum. “She did mention that she wanted to dance some more.” He frowned at him. “But, are you going to be okay out here?”

“Ah ‘hink ah’ll git inside soon.” Skye answered, hugging his Pikachu to his chest. “Ah’ve goat Pika wae me ‘n it’s pretty cauld oot here ‘n ah don’t wanna freeze ma butt aff.” He motioned for Ash to go inside to find Serena. “Come oon, aff yae go.”

“Sounds good!” The younger male's signature enthusiasm returned to him and he twirled around to Pikachu. “You up for another dance, Pikachu?”

“Pika!”

“Alright,” he turned back to Skye, quickly bringing him into a one-armed hug. “I'll see you later, Skye!”

The trainer and Pokémon pair dashed off, leaving Skye to sigh. Pika looked up at him. He gently rubbed his knuckles against the top of her tufted head. _Good luck, Serena. Yir gonnae need it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy late 20th Anniversary, Pokémon! and also late happy b-day to meself.
> 
> This episode caused such a stir with Ash not dancing with Serena, holy shit. I was too busy fawning over Ash in that suit to give a shit ( and im not an amourshipper ), but I had to give Serena a break, she needs one.
> 
> If ya'll are wondering how Jessie and James managed to get into a 18 and under party despite being adults, they lied about their age with fake trainer cards. Pretty typical stuff for them. and Jessie would've forced her way into that party if that didn't work, let's be real.
> 
> Please pay in mind that this was written months prior to Party Dancecapades / XY104's dub airing, so some details might be different.


End file.
